Please welcome Christianne to the blog. She is a regular attender at our mops meetings and wanted to share this recipe with you:
Philosophically I’m a farmer’s
market; financially I’m a big box store. Maybe that’s why I love
granola. It’s wholesome and healthy, but doesn’t cost a lot to
make. Fiber in oats, the main ingredient in granola, provides a wide
range of health benefits including stabilization of blood sugar, healthy
digestive function, and a reduction of blood pressure. It has also been suggested that for nursing moms, oats can
increase breast-milk supply.
Granola:
3 cups quick oats
¾-1 cup chopped nuts
(optional)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbsp packed brown
sugar
2 Tbsp butter, melted
½ cup syrup (maple or
agave) or honey
1 cup dried fruit
(optional)
Preheat oven to 325
degrees Fahrenheit. Mix dry ingredients (first 6) in a large bowl.
Melt butter and warm syrup in saucepan. Pour mixture over dry ingredients
and mix well. Spread on greased baking sheet. Bake 35-45 minutes,
stirring every 10 minutes or so. Allow to cool completely. When
cool, add fruit of choice. Store in airtight container or Ziploc
bag.
Fruit/nut ideas:
- Craving a taste of the
tropics? Add toasted coconut and dried pineapple or banana chips to
cooled macadamia nut granola.
-Chopped walnuts, dried apples, pears, and craisins.
-Slivered almonds with a medley of dried berries.
-Chopped walnuts, dried apples, pears, and craisins.
-Slivered almonds with a medley of dried berries.
Let your imagination
run wild as you create endless flavor combinations! I especially enjoy my
granola made into a parfait with yogurt and fresh fruit.
-Christianne